I know this has been mentioned in other threads but I just wanted to take this opportunity to highlight the pitiful plight of one of gamings most unfortunate creatures, "The PAL gamer", and the even rarer subspecies, "The Oz gamer". The purpose of this thread is for us to wallow in our own gaming self pity and perhaps help our American brethren realise how good they have it over the ocean(or otherwise just poke fun at us). For a long time we were, particularly with respect to prices, given various reasons such as the strength of the US dollar, additional taxes and so on. However, considering recent changes in currency value with no concordant changes in the price of gaming paraphernalia, it's clear that these reasons were in fact just excuses. I want your best examples of ridiculous game prices, ridiculous system prices, game delays, lack of advertising, games not being released at all, poor service by our respective gaming divisions (Nintendo of Australia i'm looking at you), or anything else that just pisses you off about being a PAL gamer. I'll start it off. ENDLESS OCEAN: to be released this week at RRP 79.95 AUD (71 USD) (and here was i thinking i'd get my bro a 'budget game' for his birthday)

Omg, that's much...

Well Prices here in Germany are "mostly" 1:1 with Dollar, so we pay a little bit more, but not that much. The worst thing here is, IMO, we just don't get games with mature content or just a censored Version so you have to pay a lot more for importing (Wii is only getting Ghost Squad from currently Zapper-Titles, no MoH/RE:UC). RE:UC is for example 80€ from resellers here, Imort around 50-55€ so not 30€ like in US. RE4 is availlable but cut and was 60€ when released, now it's 40€ so no real budget title.

But ridiculous system Prices - I just saw an offer today in A TV-Guide. You make an Abo with them for 2 years and you get a Wii for... Drums... 248 €uro :p

A really worse thing (Hate NOE for this) is, We get a Harvest Moon exclusive this year... Magical Melody. So we get a Cube Port of a game, that never was released here, while Japan and America get a fresh new one this year -.-

About Delays - Well at least about 3 months+ per game (SSB maybe even more -.-)

The support is okay so far, but for Video Games and Movies Germany is just the wrong country I guess. There may be worse of course...

Ah come on, you Europeans should be happy you don't live in a undeveloped country ignored by most gaming companies.

Here in Brasil (no Z >=/) you can find most games in physical stores at 250 reais (130 dollars more or less) and get them on internet for 180-200 reais (90-100 dollars) for the new ones and 150 reais (75 dollars) for the old ones. Maybe 50 dollars for really old games like resistance and motorstorm.

And when there is a peripheral, oh boy... i heard of people that spent 1000 reais (500 dollars more or less) in Rock Band at physical stores, and saw guitar hero at 500 reais (250 dollars) on internet. Eye of judgment? 280 (140 dollars).

I am lucky that i have my ways and my games come from Singapore, where the price is kind of the same.

Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition cost me $79 AUD ($71 USD)

DS Games cost $69 AUD ($62 USD)

Full piced Wii/PS3/360 games cost $99 AUD ($89 USD) and some as high as $109 AUD (Nearly $100 USD!)

Wii costs $400 AUD ($360 USD)

Don't ever complain that PS3 is too expensive in the USA, it was launched for $1000 AUD ($900 USD)

Holy crap.. never thought games where that expansive down under...

i feel bad when games in Canada arn't at par with the U.S. (used to be $10 more expensive) I guess I really shouldn't complain

^^ Yeah no kidding but lately we are at par with the U.S.

Delays bug me way more than prices; I really want to play SSBB soon!

 At least places like JB Hifi (and sometimes BigW/Kmart/Target) sell a lot of new Wii titles at $70-80 since the dollar is much stronger. I don't know why anyone still buys games from EBs, especially since JB will let you preorder if you are that desperate.

Yeah JB do have great prices,

Here's some poor service, I had Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town pre-ordered from EB for some time a few years ago, it kept being pushed back and back until one day I recieved a phone call saying it was now in "Yes!" I had to walk a very long way to get there in the blazing heat but I knew it would be worth it I had been waiting for so long!

When I got there I went to the counter and told them I recieved the phone call, yup all was well it seemed, until he pulled out Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life for GC, I was like.... "err I'm here for the GBA Harvest Moon"

EB: "Oh sorry we stuffed up, that's still not in yet"

I was so pissed off!!!! Out of pure luck and chance I walked past another gaming store on my way home (some random franchise, not any store anyone knows, I knew where it was so I took a detour just in case they somehow had it in) I walked in and to my surprise they had the GBA HM I was after in stock!! I went back to EB cancelled my order got my money back and happily took HM home that day.

Damn EB! I hate them.

Price of 40gb PS3 in Australia...$AU699 ($US650 approx.)